Help
by Satu-D-2
Summary: Entry to DBZ-Friendshippy's Feb contest, theme: Gal Pals. Bulma calls Chichi, desperate for something she's not good at asking for. Oneshot


AN. My first entry into the DA club DBZ-Friendshippy's Feb contest. Theme: Gal Pals. I actually used pretty much the same situation in both of my entries, but they're different angles on the same basic thing. Friendshippy pairing for this one: Chichi and Bulma. Classic XD

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Bulma Briefs ran the coiled telephone cord through her fingers for the umpteenth time, staring fixatedly out of the window as she sat on her bed. Did she want to do this? Really want to do this? Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe she could just hide behind her fame and prestige until her current situation came to an end. It wouldn't be long now, surely it couldn't be long now.

A soft sigh left her lips. It was uncertain, disturbed, and more than a little frustrated. In truth she had no idea what to do next. She hadn't left her room for three months, her parents brought her food on a tray every morning and evening, her eyes were bloodshot and the skin beneath them dark. She had never been so depressed in her life.

Finally she steeled her nerve. If anyone knew what to do then the person in her mind would. She had to just reach out her hand and ask for help. That was all.

Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she reached out and dialled the number by memory, lifting the receiver and cradling it between her cheek and her shoulder. She listening first to the empty buzz of an open line, then the sharp beeps as the number was processed, then the ringing that spun out down the telephone line.

She pictured a simple old-fashioned phone sitting on a small wooden table beside a warm, family photograph, ringing incessantly hundreds of miles away. Then there was a click and an excited voice enthused, "Son residence, Gohan speaking."

Bulma couldn't help but smile. Gohan was an incredibly happy kid, surprising considering the stresses he had been put through during his childhood. His joy was catching and slightly lifted the gloom that had hung over Bulma like a veil.

"Hey, kiddo," she said, surprised and pleased at how level she sounded, how normal. "Is your mum there?"

"Yep, hold on a sec." A rustling and then Gohan's voice again, slightly distant and raised to a shout. "Mum! Bulma on the phone for you!" He spoke into the receiver, his voice lowered again. "She'll be just a minute. Can you hold on?"

"Sure. How's the homework going?"

"Fine. I'm doin' real well. Mum says if I finish my algebra this afternoon then I can train the whole rest of the week with Dad and Piccolo."

"That's great, Gohan-kun." Bulma rested one hand on her stomach, tears burning in her eyes as she looked out the window. "That's really...really great."

"Thanks." Gohan sounded apprehensive and Bulma realised the normalcy in her voice must have dwindled. Luckily he didn't have time to press further. There was another rustling, some muted voices, and then Chichi was speaking into Bulma's ear.

"Hello?"

At the soft, curious voice the tears in Bulma's eyes spilled over and she had to bite back a sob.

"Chichi-chan..."

Instantly concern flooded Chichi's voice. "Bulma-san? Are you alright?"

Bulma buried her face into one hand, pressing the heel of her palm against her eyes as she started to cry.

"Oh, Chichi-chan, I don't know what to do."

"Bulma-san, please, calm down."

Bulma could see Chichi in her mind's eye, see the worried frown on her face, the fear in her wide, dark eyes, her hands clutching the phone to her ear so hard that her knuckles were white. She saw these things, but still couldn't say what she needed to. It was so difficult; she had never been good at asking before and now that she really needed it she had no experience.

"Chichi-chan...I...I need... I need help, Chichi-chan. Please...help me..."

"Bulma-san, I'm...I'm going to... I'll be right there, just breathe, okay?"

There was a click, then a dial tone. Bulma couldn't make herself stop crying, not matter how harshly she told herself to, and great whooping sobs burst from her as she hunched forward into her lap, her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed and wailed down to the floor.

Half an hour later she was still crying, but her voice had given out and her eyelids were swollen and red. There were running footsteps, the door banged open, and then gentle hands were on her shoulders, soothing her just with that simple touch.

"Shh, Bulma-san, it's alright..."

"Chichi-chan? How did you get here so fast?" Bulma croaked, keeping her head down and her body hunched forward.

"Gohan flew me." Chichi sounded very concerned. "Oh, Bulma-san, don't cry. Deep breaths. Calm down."

"T-tell him to go away," Bulma whispered. "Tell him to leave. Please..."

"Gohan-chan!"

"Yes, mum?" His voice was distant, but clear. He must be down at the foot of the stairs. Once that location was thought of Bulma could instantly see him, standing with one foot forward on the first stair, one hand resting on the banister, his head tilted back and a worried frown on his young face.

"Go on home without me, sweetie. I'll call when I'm ready to come home!"

"Sure?"

"Yes."

A pause, then the sound of the front door closing. A rush of air outside signalled Gohan taking off. Bulma lifted her bloodshot eyes to meet Chichi's, her breath hitching in her chest as she let out a soft, shuddering breath.

Chichi's eyes remained on Bulma's tear-stained face for a moment, then flitted down. Her mouth dropped open and shock widened her eyes. Bulma's hands protectively cradled her swollen stomach as she looked pleadingly at Chichi.

"What do I do?" she whispered.

Chichi mouthed soundlessly for a moment, then said, "You're... How...? How long...?"

"Three months," Bulma said, and another wave of tears started coursing down her cheeks. "Only three months. Chichi-chan, what do I...?"

"It's Vegeta's, isn't it?" Chichi asked gently, and now Bulma was the one struck dumb. She nodded, her eyes wide. Chichi smiled slightly, gently resting one hand on Bulma's pregnant stomach. "Oh, Bulma, it's alright."

"But I'm so big," Bulma mumbled. "I'm _huge_! Chichi, why is my belly so big!?"

"Because it's half-Saiyan." Chichi sat on the bed beside Bulma, one arm comfortingly around her shoulders as her other hand remained on Bulma's huge stomach. "Trust me, when I had Gohan I was scared for my life. In three months I looked like I was six months pregnant. At five months my water broke." She smiled a little wanly. "I thought I was going to die. I was petrified I was going to lose the baby. I was so...so..." She struggled for words, but Bulma could see the horror and desperate fear the filled Chichi's eyes. The dark-haired woman sighed sadly, then smiled at Bulma. "When Goku turned out to be an alien, I wasn't surprised; it made so much sense. Trust me, Saiyan pregnancies don't last nearly as long as human ones. In fact, they last on average four months in total. Saiyan blood is stronger genetically too, so they override the human gestation period. You'll give birth in two months to a healthy, half-Saiyan baby."

Bulma looked down at her pregnant stomach, then lifted her arms and grabbed Chichi in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Chichi-chan," she whispered. "I was...so scared..."

"It's alright, Bulma-san. It's okay."

Bulma clutched her pregnant stomach as she was rocked back and forth in Chichi's arms. She had thought that she had had no tears left, and so was surprised when she felt the now-familiar stinging.

"It's just...Vegeta isn't here and..."

"I don't want to intrude," Chichi said softly, and Bulma froze a little inside. "But where is Vegeta? Why isn't he here with you, when you're pregnant with his child?"

"He... He went off training," Bulma whispered. "Two months ago... He...he doesn't know...about the...the baby...our baby..."

"Oh, sweetie..." Chichi cradled Bulma a little closer, stroking her hair. "It's alright. He's going to be very happy when he comes back. He's going to find you with a new little Saiyan." She paused, then surprised Bulma by laughing a bit. "Who knows, he might even expect this baby to inherit that throne he's always going on about."

Her laughter had surprised Bulma, but that mild feeling was nothing compared to the total shock when a hoarse little chuckle came from her own lips. She hadn't thought she would ever laugh again.

"You're a good friend, Chichi-chan," Bulma said softly, settling her head more comfortably on Chichi's shoulder. "Thank you for coming."

"My pleasure." Chichi continued to stroke Bulma's hair, still rocking very slightly back and forth, comforting the other woman the way she would a child. It should have been patronising, but it wasn't somehow, not coming from Chichi. She was too genuine in this movement for it to be condescending.

They stayed like this for a couple of moments, silence filling the room with it's unique hum, before Bulma lifted her head, wiped her eyes, and sat up properly. Chichi smiled at her comfortingly, then stood and put her hands on her hips.

"Now, about a nursery. Do you want me to help or do you want to do it yourself?"

Bulma looked up at her, holding her belly tight, then smiled widely. Three months in her room in shock, and just a few minutes with Chichi had completely changed everything. She could do this, she could carry this child and look after it properly. She could be a mother. And she could ask for what she had never been able to before. She cradled her stomach in her hands, looked up at Chichi, and said the words again.

"I need your help."

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AN. And there it is. I wrote this a little while ago (well, the start of it anyway) and now I'm super busy with all of my...you know...uni stuff...so it took me ages to finish... Anyway, I hope you liked it, it's kinda sweet I think. I've always thought that Chichi would have been a huge help to Bulma during her pregnancy with Trunks. Let's face it, she's the only other human in the entire world who had delievered a half-Saiyan baby. Bulma would've had no idea what was going on XD


End file.
